The African Christian Democratic Party is shocked by suggestions from the tripartite alliance that the state must fund axed deputy president Jacob Zuma’s legal costs for his corruption case.
”The fact is that there are many corruption charges brought against state officials and MPs who are not afforded the same privilege; therefore, why should the former deputy president be an exception?” ACDP president Kenneth Meshoe said on Friday.
The alliance urged Zuma’s lawyer on Thursday to ask the state to fund his legal costs.
”The meeting [of the alliance] urged Zuma’s lawyers to approach the state to cover the costs of his legal defence, since he was facing allegations emanating from his role as a public office-bearer,” it said.
The alliance — the African National Congress, South African Communist Party, Congress of South African Trade Unions and South African National Civic Organisation — met on Wednesday to discuss the controversy surrounding Zuma.
Meshoe said the fact that the ANC is supporting such a call while it runs the government makes the ACDP question whether it is trying to ease tension within the alliance or it sincerely believes it is the right thing to do.
”We totally reject making funds available to an individual who is financially able to cover his own legal cost but is instead asking taxpayers to foot the bill,” he said.
If the government agrees to such demands, then it will set a precedent for all MPs, MPLs and other individuals who work for the state to claim such privileges. It will be ”morally and ethically wrong” for the state to bail out MPs and Cabinet ministers regardless of their social status, Meshoe said.
”The state should treat all its citizens equally. We believe in equality before the law regardless of one’s political clout and social status.” — Sapa